Sir,
The courteous letter from Professor John B. Burland (July 23) concerning the heated
controversy over the Leaning Tower of Pisa is most welcome. Nonetheless, your report of
July 18 ("Experts wrangle over best angle") referred to certain of our
observations which clearly justify our criticism of the commission in charge.

These are:
1. The proposed steel cables represent the fourth "provisional" solution
projected for the Tower between 1990 and today.
2. The definitive project (the one outlined by Professor Burland) does not exist as yet.
The experiments to verify whether it can be put into operation have been postponed to the
beginning of 1999, by which time the present commission's assignment will be over.

The commission is consuming more time for the approval of
the project than was required for moving the temples of Abu Simbel. Disagreements within
the commission itself are not a minor reason for such delays.